Breaker strip



Patented July 16, 193s PATENT oFFlcE BREAKER STRIP Y Phillip n. cruikshank, Monticello, nl., assignor to Tylac Company, Monticello, Ill., a corpora- I tion of Illinois Application October 13, 1931, Serial N0. 568,645

1 Claim.

The present invention lrelates to breaker strips such as are usually attached to a door or to a door jamb and is primarily concerned with a refrigerator breaker strip.

Heretofore, there has been considerable difculty in obtaining a strip which will stand up under hard usage and which, at the same time, will maintain its nice nish, and be free of any perceptible odors.

I have developed a breaker strip particularly adaptedfor use with refrigerators which is characterized by flexibility and great tensile strength, and which is also insulating and possesses the properties of being abrasive and moisture proof. Furthermore, the product of this invention will be free from any perceptible and objectionable odors and will also have the desired properties for an effective sealing.

Referring to the drawing:-

ligure l is a perspective view of an ice box;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of my improved breaker strip; f

Figure 3 is a plan view partly broken away showing the structure of the strip; and

lFigure 4 is a sectional view on line 4--4 of Figure 1.

For convenience, VI have illustrated a conventional refrigerator at I and my improved breaker strip applied to the door, as well as to the jamb at Il.

The numeral I2 indicates the base of the breaker strip, and this is preferably formed of a brous material such as wood fiber, paper pulp, corn stalks, cane stalks, or any composition embodying two or more of the foregoing. VPrefer-- ably, I employ a product made by the Masonite Company and called Presdwood which is a fibrous material.

'I'he base I2 possesses the characteristics of flexibility to some extent. Furthermore, it is insulating and is substantially inert with respect to extremes ofheat and cold so that it will be substantially temperature resistant for all ordinary purposes. This material is furthermore, characterized by a great tensile strength and resistance to abrasion such asis encountered with a hinged closure of this character. In addition to these features, the fibrous material which I employ is substantially free of volatiles within a normal range of temperatures, so that no perceptible or objectionable odors will be given off.

The brous material in some -cases will Vbe inherently moisture proof, and in other cases will be water proofed by some material. The single qualification will be its non-volatility within a (Cl. 22o- 9) wide range of temperatures, so that under nov circumstances will any perceptible or objectionable odors be created. In fact, I propose to use a water proong substance where necessary which will not only have a very high point of volatilization, but which', moreover, will possess no objectionable odor, should, for any reason, some of the material be volatilized.

'I'he base l2, while characterized by exibility and plasticity is also suillciently rigid to enable it to be satisfactorily worked, that is to say, cut into strips and suitably mitered or beveled and curved as required. In some refrigerators the edges will possess various configurations and these may be satisfactorily cared for with the present material by sewing or compressing.

The fibrous base I2 is preferably rst sanded to smoothness and has applied thereto one or more coats of a suitable priming material having a high point of volatilization and which likewise will not impart any objectionable odor should some of the material be inadvertantly vaporized.

' the trade a synthetic resinous enamel.

Such material will be substantially moisture proof and plastic and flexible when it has dried. It will also have the characteristic of being abrasion resistant and likewise will not be volatilized at normal temperatures and in any event will possess no objectionable odor. y i In referring to a synthetic resinous lacquer enamel which I preferably employ, it is meant to cover those coatings which contain a synthetic r'esinousgum which is a condensate from phenol and some member of the aldehyde family, for example, a synthetic resin produced as a condensation product from phenol and formaldehyde.

Coatings of this character are available which are alkaline, acid, or neutral and I employ one or the other according to the use to which the product must conform.

In preparing the coating, the synthetic resinous gum is dissolved byy a solvent of either the ethyl, butyl, or methyl family, depending upon whether the material is to be used for air drying or oven baking, and the quickness with which the varnish must dry.

I preferably employ also in the coating, ay

plasticizer to permit the coating to expand and contract so that it will conform in general to the characteristics of the base I2.

Also, color pigmentsv are added to give the coating where required a proper color, tint, or

hue. Such ingredients are preferably ground to fineness and mixed with a required percentage -applied to it, after appropriate sanding to smoothness, a priming coat whose principal ingredient is one of the materials above described, and preferably a synthetic resin of the polybasic acid type.

At this point, it should also be stated that the various coatings which I apply to the base will be substantially acid and alkali proof and will react with the material of the base to strengthen the same and produce a very strong adhesion, without, however, raising the grain of 'the material of lche base.

The priming coat is then preferably sanded to smoothness and if required, a second priming coat of the samev material is applied. This coating is likewise sanded to smoothness and, thereafter the product is subjected to suitable decorative steps.

It will be understood that one or both surfaces of the strip may be treated in accordance with this invention, but from the practical standpoint, it is only necessary to treat the exposed surface and the edges of the breaker strip.

After the priming coat or coats are dried, there is applied a spray coat of a synthetic resinous material containing any color or combination thereof. When this is dried sufficiently, a second coat of similar material is applied and when the latter has dried, the finished coat is lightly sanded and then buffed to a high luster with any suitable means, for example, a felt pad and rottenstone and oil. i

A nal polishing with a fast rotating disc of lambs wool will add to the brilliancy and high luster obtained.

It will be understood that each of the priming and finishing coats will be flexible and plastic, as well as moisture proof and temperature resistant. This coating, moreover, will, within normal temperatures, be so stable and free of volatilization that no objectionable or perceptible odors will be given off.

In addition to these features, the breaker strip will have a nice nish which will be colored or ornamented to conform to the general color scheme to which it is applied.

In the drawing, I have illustrated the priming coat or coats at I3 and the finishing coat or coats at I4.

'Referring tol Figure 2, it will be observed that I provide openings in the breaker strip by which it may be attached in position lin a door jamb or to a door. These openings I5 are preferably counter sunk to receive screws or other fastening means. Because of the'great tensile strength.

of my improved breaker strip, it may be used as the bonding means or sealing means for a refrigerator door where the door comprises an external member and an internal member. In such a connection, the breaker strip not only acts to bond the external and internal frame members together, but likewise, seals the joint therebetween in a thoroughly satisfactory manner.

Thus, the tensile strength, as well as the sealing quality of the breaker strip is availed of,

both with respect to the individual frame members of the refrigeraton'for example, and the necessary sealing which is required in an article of this character between the closure and the refrigerator body or door Ajamb.

The product of the invention, in addition to being free from objectionable and perceptible lodors, it will be observed, has a high sealing quality, possessing flexibility and in addition, is insulating as well as moisture and abrasion proof. By describing the strip as temperature proof, I

Vmean resistant to the action of heat and cold within very high extremes of either so that for all normal purposes, there will be no volatilization and the breaker strip 'will be charaterized by a lComplete* freedom from any objections arising through lack of care over this condition.

The breaker strip whichA is illustrated in Figure 2 may have its edges beveled or mitered as desired, and as heretofore stated, the coatings are applied not only to the body of the strip, but to each of the edges as well. v

I claimt- A flexible breaker strip for a refrigerator consisting of a fabricated vegetable fiber base, said base being dense and flexible and insulating, and a flexible surface coating of syntheticv resin integrally bonded to the exposed surface of said base and forming a relatively thin surface lm in continuous phase thereon; said strip being substantially devoid interiorly thereof of the coating material.

PHILLIP H. CRUIKSHANK. 

